


You are not alone

by GlowwormiK



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: All others just mentioned, First Mission, Gen, Lotor joins the coalition, Really Lotor-centric, first attraction, no proper relationship yet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-01
Updated: 2018-03-01
Packaged: 2019-03-24 00:23:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,099
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13799460
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GlowwormiK/pseuds/GlowwormiK
Summary: When Lotor relies only on himself, like he is used to, a mission goes wrong. Luckily, there is someone compassionate instead of accusing.The "you are not alone" dialogue inspired by the latest Star Wars.Written as a giveaway-request for@pattopussfrom@lotornetwork.Come talk to me ontumblrabout this or other fics.





	You are not alone

The attack on the galran base went wrong from the very beginning. What was intended to be a classy, evasive maneuver to distract enemy's attention, quickly deteriorated into a bloodbath. Right at the beginning, one of the Olkari jets carrying the satellite repeater failed to work in perfect sync with the rest of their team and activated the detection trap. The base exploded with alarms. Immediately, a whole swarm of fighter jet poured out of the gates, as if having anticipated an attack.

Lotor cursed under his breath. This was bad. It was imperative that this mission, his first mission together with the coalition, goes well. _It never matters why assignments go wrong – he will be the one they will punish for the failure._ His personal aim was to drop three bombs, filled with the new fully autonomous spy bots he and Green Paladin Pidge developed together; a couple of unexpectedly fast pilots wouldn't stop him.

"Break formation!" Lotor heard in the communication.

 _Curses, Kolivan decided to start making decisions._ Lotor knew that the leader of the Blade of Marmora doesn't trust him, and seeing how he could now jeopardize his mission by calling retreat too soon, Lotor felt a surge of rage rise up his throat Lotor. _No time to get angry. Forget Kolivan, he doesn't matter. All that matters is the mission. If this one is a success, no one will judge you._

"Push forward! Don't let them intimidate you!" Lotor intercepted. "We only need to hold out for several doboshes!"

Lotor knew as well as others that they couldn't win this attack. The aim of the mission wasn't to take the base, but to create panic, a distraction, and use the situation to their own advantage. They would simultaneously plant the spy bots, use the retranslator to shut down communications in the sector and help Voltron out. As a preparation, Lotor and other rebel pilots attacked several times in various parts of the galaxy, each time sending jets out before Voltron appeared, and then quickly retreating. This should have created an impression that this was their new strategy from now on. Now, attacking here should have attracted Zarkon's attention and made him believe that Voltron would also appear soon. Once he would have sent his fleets in hyperjump and engaged in battle, the lions of Voltron could have started their actual offensive in the Nei-Kari sector.

This plan was the first one born not out of desperation, but from careful consideration. The young coalition, and Lotor with them, used the short breathing period given to it by Haggar's retreat to devise a strategy. But now everything went wrong: the base was much better prepared for attack then anticipated, the rebels started failing and there was still no sign on Zarkon's main forces or a message from Voltron.

The galran fighters opened up into a wedge formation and soared down on the rebels. _No surprises here..._ Lotor's task was to stay behind the other jets, fully cloaked until he could find a safe passage to get to the base and drop off his cargo, so all he could do right now is wait and watch.

Before him, the whole space around the base was filled with battle. The enemy jets seemed to be newer ones than they encountered before, so to Lotor's horror, there was no sign that the rebels might pull it out and clear the path for him. They couldn't rely on more fire power from the castle ship, either, as Coran preferred to back Voltron up; the coalition and the Blade of Marmora were on their own now. Their only long-range support was Slav, almost singlehandedly trying to operate the cruiser that got them here, but he couldn't be relied upon. One rebel jet was hit. Lotor waited. Another one down. Patience... A second wave of fighters appeared, and Lotor realized he had to act, and he had to do it now...

"Guys, there is zero, zero zero three percent chance that you will win this attack!" Slav sounded desperate.

"Abort mission! Retreat!" Kolivan roared.

_No. You don't give me orders, old man._

Using the hassle that retreating pilots created, Lotor sent his ship forward. _Waiting hasn't paid off, now it is time to try a different approach!_ All the remaining jets apart from his own turned and headed towards the cruiser, soon to land safely in the docs. Two of them were covering the retreat of others; Lotor knew that one of the pilots was Keith, the unlucky half-blood red paladin who lost his lion and had to leave the team. The galran jets fell behind one by one: obviously, their order was to guard the base and not to engage in pursuit. Now, Lotor, remained alone, and it was only a matter of ticks until they would blow his cover. There was no return from now, only push forward. By now, all coalition jets seemed to have left the battlefield, and Lotor muted his microphone.

"Kolivan, is everyone on board?" Slav asked, as heavier ships started leaving the base, obviously with an order to take down the cruiser with everyone inside it.

"Rebel squadrons 1, 2 and 3 and the Blades are complete. Squadron 4 lost two jets, but the others are on board, too. Keith, land now: we are clear to proceed."

The first galran pilot fired at Lotor. Too bad he never stood a chance... The exiled prince made a steep curve and fired with half power. The jet, having lost an engine, went into spiral. _That should do it. If he is any good, he will make it back to the base._

"We are retreating!" Slav said, his voice full obvious relief. _What a coward..._

"Wait!" Kolivan's voice broke into the the rumble of the communication channel. "Lotor is still out there!"

Lotor heard someone gasp, then the channel exploded with calls.

"Lotor, return to the cruiser immediately! Lotor, do you copy? Lotor, come back!"

The prince kept his microphone muted and flew one more curve to escape the deadly ray from the base. Now that the battlefield was clear, his cover couldn't sustain his invisibility and the whole galran fleet soared after him. _No, you are all too late. Just a couple of ticks, and my aim is achieved!_

Boom! While dodging fire from the jets, Lotor failed to keep in mind the cruisers, and now one of them hit him. The Sincline ship, despite its supreme shielding, spiraled down uncontrollably. Lotor pulled on the levers frantically, trying to regain the balance.

Boom! The ship shook once again, Lotor hit his face on the controls and must have passed out for a tick, because when he looked up again, the second cruiser was already in an attack position. Lotor pushed the main lever again and again to restart the engine, but the ship remained still. The canon finished its movement and the commander on board, invisible to Lotor, must have given the order to kill. Lotor kicked the lever in desperation, and slammed his fist on the dead control panel - nothing. _This shot will my his last one._

"Oh no, you are not getting him!" Lotor heard a familiar voice.

_What? Keith?_

Another rebel jet cut through space like an angry wasp. The pilot didn't waste time on shooting, he set everything on speed. Automatic net engulfed the Sincline ship and pulled it up. The other pilot dodged galran jets and flew off, using the advantage of surprise, carrying the amazed Lotor, who could only wipe blood from his face.

 

* * *

 

 

"What were you thinking?" Kolivan yelled at him. "You went against direct orders of your commander! You jeopardized the entire mission, and for what?"

"You acted stupidly and dangerously!" the Black Paladin Shiro echoed him. "Keith could have died saving you! You could have died, what were you thinking?"

"You are forbidden from leaving the castle ship, sending any kind of messages and participating in missions and meetings." Ice in princess Allura's voice would be enough to freeze an entire cluster of stars. "I knew you were a traitor all along."

 

* * *

 

 

When they left him alone, Lotor's head ringed and all he wanted was to shut the door behind him. He kept his face straight while walking along the corridors of the castle, he showed no sign of distress like he was used to. When he reached his chambers at last, he exhaled with anticipation. And yet before he could press the button to shut the door, he had to endure one more unpleasant surprise.

"Lotor, wait!"

The galra turned around, ready to counter any kind of attack, be it verbal of physical. The one calling his name was Keith, his today's saviour. Lotor had little to do with him before - the young man was mostly away from the castle of lions where Lotor was first kept as a prisoner, and then stayed on his own accord. At the beginning, everyone expected them to get along particularly well because both of them had alien heritage in addition to their galran one. This seemed to annoy the other one as much as Lotor, so they did their best to keep their interactions to a bare minimum. What would Keith want from him now? _Will he require payment for his help today? But what reward can an exiled outcast possibly offer?_ However, brushing him off now would be detrimental for the feeble remainders of understanding Lotor managed to establish with the coalition, so he raised his eyebrows instead of his fist.

"Yes?" Lotor asked politely.

The other one stopped abruptly, as if having physically felt the distance in Lotor's voice.

"I... I wanted to talk to you," he said, without the usual assertiveness.

_Yes, he does want a payment... Well, at least this kind of conversations isn't new. Better throw him a hook, leave him interested._

"Please come in. I find it difficult to imagine what I can give you, in my current situation. However, should I be able to return to my kind, the options could be rich."

"What? No, that's not what I wanted to talk about..." the other was visibly taken aback.

_Really? Why are you playing selfless, what do you want from me?_

"Lotor, I know why you did what you did today. I know how you felt. You think that you can only rely on yourself, so you went forward to fulfill the part that was assigned to you, without considering possible damage! I can relate to that feeling, I really do! But you don't have to act like this, you are not alone anymore!"

The ex-paladin was looking at Lotor with these impossible purple eyes, so open, so burning with desire to help... _They do say that half-bloods are always the prettiest, because they take the best from their both parents. The human was certainly a good example..._

"Why did you save me?" Lotor asked, surprising even himself. "Risk your life for me?"

"You don't know?" Keith's eyebrows first flew high, then he suddenly understood. "Oh right, I think no one told you, first we didn't trust you and then there was no time... When you damaged Haggar's cruiser, I mean before joining us, I was attempting to do the same. However, we didn't have the gun power you had, so I was trying to crash my jet onto the cruiser, as this was the only way. Today, I was only returning what I owed you. But I would have done it anyway, I couldn't let you die there!"

_Is he joking? Is this some kind of test?_

"What do you mean, crash? You wouldn't have survived!"

"I had to take down that cruiser! Voltron wouldn't have made it out on time, and I don't even mention all the others! The success of the whole operation depended on it! You of all people would understand, wouldn't you?"

 _Yes, I would,_ Lotor thought. _Do whatever it takes, who else would understand it better than I. Though I am amazed that you would know it, too..._

"But what I mean is... you don't have to be like that anymore." Keith continued. "This obstinacy doesn’t pay off anymore. You can rely on us for help! You are not alone!"

Keith was talking with sincere fervour, a true paladin of light, attempting to help. It took Lotor several ticks to swallow down a painful knot in his throat. _What to say, how to put it to avoid scaring him?_

"Well, neither are you."

Lotor's heart leapt with joy when, for the first time ever, he saw Keith smile.


End file.
